If you love good, old fashioned mashed potatoes this is the perfect recipe. Simple and delicious.
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I have been making mashed potatoes like this for over 50 years...and it's the way MY mother made them. For this recipe to be a success, you have to know a little about potatoes. Notice the recipe called for BAKING potatoes. Red ones will be gummy. Yukon Golds make GOOD mashed potatoes. Start them off in COLD water so everything will reach boiling at the same time. When they are tender, drain them in a colandar and let them STEAM. The more steam is gone, the more the potatoes will absorb the milk. (No problem with 'soupy' potatoes here...you even MAY have to add more milk than the recipe calls for. While the potatoes are steaming, heat the butter and milk in the same pot you cooked the potatoes in. (Why wash another pan?) Add the steamed potatoes and mash and season. (I've had my share of 'gummy' and 'soupy' mashed potatoe in my time :) Oh! And if this is for a special occasion...use cream instead of milk. Over the top!!!
Read MoreThere isn't enough butter in these mashed potatoes, you should have a least a stick of butter. I make mashed potatoes all the time and everyone just loves my potatoes.
Read MoreI have been making mashed potatoes like this for over 50 years...and it's the way MY mother made them. For this recipe to be a success, you have to know a little about potatoes. Notice the recipe called for BAKING potatoes. Red ones will be gummy. Yukon Golds make GOOD mashed potatoes. Start them off in COLD water so everything will reach boiling at the same time. When they are tender, drain them in a colandar and let them STEAM. The more steam is gone, the more the potatoes will absorb the milk. (No problem with 'soupy' potatoes here...you even MAY have to add more milk than the recipe calls for. While the potatoes are steaming, heat the butter and milk in the same pot you cooked the potatoes in. (Why wash another pan?) Add the steamed potatoes and mash and season. (I've had my share of 'gummy' and 'soupy' mashed potatoe in my time :) Oh! And if this is for a special occasion...use cream instead of milk. Over the top!!!
Perfect mashed potatoes. Heating the milk and butter is a must, I didn't realize what a difference it would make, my potatoes were not gummy and they stayed hot longer.
Great recipe for "good old fashioned" mashed potatoes! It's straight forward and just plain delicious. The perfect mashed potato for your favorite gravy! I always heat up my milk in the microwave and add it to the potatoes (sometimes use half n half to make them creamier). You just can't go wrong with this classic recipe for comfort food!
Take about 8 cloves of raw garlic and throw them into the water with the potatos and let them cook together. They will be soft and mash easily. TO DIE FOR
This recipe is not bad but I added all the milk in and the mash potato became too runny (like soup). I'll say not to add all the milk this recipe suggested. Just add a little milk a time until u think it's the texture u want and that's it. Then maybe u'll love it. ^-^.
Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best! Smash the potatoes to mostly lump-free before adding the butter and milk. One thing I suggest doing differently is to add the butter to the potatoes first, then add heated milk as needed. That way you get all of the butter in the mashed potatoes and can add just the right amount of milk for the correct texture.
There isn't enough butter in these mashed potatoes, you should have a least a stick of butter. I make mashed potatoes all the time and everyone just loves my potatoes.
Great basic recipe. If you're watching your calories etc, try substituting the potatoes starchy cooking water for most of the milk. After that, only a quick splash of milk is needed.
I have been looking for a recipe for good, old fashioned, mashed potatoes like mom used to make. This is it. Thanks!
I just made this recipe and it is fantastic. I made this recipe x 4. I only used 1/2 the milk (I think if I added any more it would be too runny) and added 4 dabs of cream cheese for a little umph. Excellent, this is a great recipe for you to make into your own.
Oh, my God! These are the best mashed potatoes that I have ever put in my mouth! I added cream cheese (half of one 8 oz pkg.) Let's just say, there are NO left-overs! Wonderful!
This is your very basic recipe for mashed potatoes and I have always made them this way. I personally prefer using half & half or heavy cream in place of the milk. It's not healthier but it does makes these creamier. I also prefer "more" to my mashed potatoes (ie: chives or sour cream) BUT these are very good and go well with many traditional meals.
I took a leaf from a previous review and added a package of cream cheese to this recipe. The result is nothing but delicious! It did take a LOT longer than the stated cook time for the potatoes to get soft enough to be able to mix them, though! I may cut back on the cream cheese next time, though, to make them a bit "healthier". I will NEVER make boxed taters again! Thanks for the recipe!
These potatoes are so easy & yummy. I actually followed the recipe so am qualified to rate it. I waited to add the warmed milk & butter until the potatoes stopped steaming in the colander. This step was something I hadn't thought of before, it kept potatoes warm during mashing.
This is how I make mashed potatoes, but I don't heat the milk and butter separately. I drain the potatoes well, then add the milk and butter, salt and pepper and cook on low heat for a minute or so. Then I mash the potatoes with an electric mixer. But, I don't mix too long, or you have starchy potatoes.
If the mashed potatoes are too runny, just mash/whip a little longer. The longer the potatoes are whipped, the more they will thicken up. Try substituting 2/3 cup of the water the potatoes cooked in, mixed with 1/3 cup of powdered milk for the 1 cup of milk. Very Nice.
Lee's Mashed Potatoes - I find when making mashed potatoes that using evaporated milk makes them creamier and I leave a little of the potato water in there to thin them down. I like a lot of butter and salt is a must. Lee S.
I have been making mashed potatoes for over 60 years and along the way I have learned a few tricks for creamy mashed potatoes. I am currently cooking for 3. So I use 7 small potatoes or 4-5 larger ones. After draining the potatoes, I put them back in the pan over a high heat to dehydrate excess water on the potatoes. While heating in the pan, I shake the pan to move the potatoes around. Then I add 1/2 of a quarter pound stick of butter, slicing it thin so it quickly melts on the hot potatoes. (I don't think this recipe uses enough butter.) Then I mash the potatoes with a potato masher until all of the lumps are mashed. Then I add the milk, about 1/3 cup, gradually, mashing as I go until I get to the consistency that I want. I prefer mashed potatoes with a little substance. So I think this recipe uses too much milk. If gravy were used on them, they would likely be very watery. The main thing here is to dry the excess water from the potatoes before they are mashed. The water seems to make them more "grainy" than creamy. So I don't agree with the reviewer that said to add water instead of some of the milk. I like the idea that one reviewer suggested to boil garlic cloves with the potatoes, but would suggest that the cloves are smashed and left to sit for at least minutes before adding them to the potatoes. This not only increases the garlic flavor, but also increases the health benefits of the garlic.
I usually make instant potatoes but never again! These were so light and fluffy! I am a big fan!
Thank you for the great mashed potatoes recipe! I think this is the first time I've ever made them from scratch. We had my boyfriend's parents over for dinner and I made these with the chicken I made and they came out great! The only thing is, I did not use salt and pepper. Also, I probably used about 2.5 lbs. of potatoes, I just eyeballed them though. Also, with the amount of potatoes I only used half a cup of milk and that was perfect. I kind of destroyed our blender on another recipe I was making, so I used a fork to crush the potatoes, then I added the milk mixture and then whisked it to the creaminess. At this point, the mashed potatoes were kind of cold, so I had to microwave them for a bit, which was no problem. Great recipe, will definitely use it again.
As advertised, this is your basic delicious mashed potato recipe. I left the skins on my Yukon golds, and used skim milk. Perfect compliment to my country ribs with gravy. Thanks for sharing!
Very good and yes basic, this is always how I prepared mashed potatoes, except we call them cream potatoes. I think just eyeballing your milk will help with the consistancy you may want, instead of just adding the whole cup of milk at once, everything kind of depends on the size of your potatoes. I think this will help so your outcome will not be soupy potatoes.
all i can say is yummo these mashed potatoes were so good they were gone no leftovers,, and i tried the trick with heating the butter and milk wow what a difference
This is your very basic recipe for mashed potatoes and I have always made them this way. I personally prefer using half & half or heavy cream in place of the milk. It's not healthier but it does makes these creamier. I also prefer "more" to my mashed potatoes (ie: chives or sour cream) BUT these are very good and go well with many traditional meals.
I've never heated the butter and milk first - great idea! I also usually add cauliflower in with the potatoes when I boil them. The taste great and my picky son doesn't even know they're there!
Great recipe for mashed potatoes. I used half & half to make it a little creamier and I put in a little garlic salt to perk it up. Great recipe . . . I will definitely be making this again very soon.
I use sour cream instead of milk. Butter can be melted but sour cream goes in right from the container into hot potatoes.
This is a good no-fail base. Here's a warning... this recipe makes for a loose, smooth and almost runny mashed potatoes. If you, like me, like your mashed potatoes on the thicker side, don't add in all of the warm milk and butter mixture at once. I did make that mistake but I quickly solved the runny problem by adding in about a quarter cup of instant mashed potato flakes. It thickened it up and it still tasted like it was made from real potatoes. I doubled the amount of butter for richness (used Smart Balance Spread) and did not need to add any salt. Actually, I found the Smart Balance Spread to be on the salty side so I put in a couple pinches of sugar (yes, sugar!). It gave it more depth and it's not like it was candy-sweet or anything. I also sprinkled in a touch of no-salt meat seasoning (a combination of onion powder, garlic powder, etc) and some green onion for freshness.
My husband and I really liked this recipe. However, I boiled the potatoes longer so that they would be softer and I also added garlic powder to give them a little kick. I made them in the blender because I couldn't find the potato masher and it was really hard to get the potatoes out of the blender. But other than that, it was really simple. I would suggest adding a little milk at a time as to make sure its not so runny, which is what I did. It's hard to please my husband so I'll definately make it again.
These were easy and oh, so yummy! I made mine with red potatoes with the skin. I suggest adding liquid to potatoes a little at a time as mine were too runny. No one cared, though - they were great! Thanks.
I'm an Asian whose mom never made mash and I "don't do" cooking myself. I wanted to try making basic mashed potatoes and this recipe works! I put in both black and white pepper, and added a light sprinkle of garlic powder like some suggested, ewww, it reeked. Next time I'll just reduce it to a pinch. Otherwise I followed all the measurements to a T and it came out just fine, not runny or anything. Easy to make, tastes good, but next time I'll eat it with gravy LOL.
Very, very good mashed potatoes :-) I didn't follow the proportions exactly, but I judged how much I needed based on what the potatoes looked like. I also used heavy cream instead of milk, and added a sprinkle of fresh ground chili. It was so good!
Nothing great about these :? There just potatoes with milk and butter.. same as my mom has been making for froever and a day.
This reciped is perfect. It DOES make a difference to heat the milk and butter. Cold milk and butter added to hot potato makes the potato gummy. If you think it's fine to use cold ingredients because that's the way you always have done it, you are missing out on something special!
Be sure to add the milk a little at a time to get your desired consistency. If I would have added it all, they would have been way too thin. Just a matter of preference I suppose. Otherwise they were pretty tasty.
Like the recipe says, basic mashed potatoes. Can't go wrong with that. I'm a southern girl so I add a good bit more butter to mine.
I was looking for just a simple, easy, no frills mashed potato recipe. This was it. Perfect.
This is the same recipe that I have been using successfully for years. Heating the milk and butter is a MUST for perfect mashed potatoes every time.
Great basic recipe. If you don't mind a little extra fat, use half and half instead of milk! It makes them much more creamy and less grainy!
Amazing! I'd always had a hard time with turning out 'potato goo-soup' instead of mashed potatoes. These taste just like my mom's! A bit of a side-note, if you have a microwave-safe measuring cup, you can microwave the milk and butter together, stir it up a bit, and then blend with the potatoes that way. My stove was otherwise occupied when I made these, haha.
This was really great. I needed a basic recipe for my "basic" guys. They loved it. Thanks. This site doesn't need to be all about the fancy stuff.
This was my first time making mashed potatoes. As embarressing as that is to admit....this recipe made it SO simple!
I thought I liked lumpy mashed potatoes untill I tried this. Warming the milk and butter makes the potatoes very creamy. This is the only way I will ever make mashed potatoes.
I was planning on making a different mashed potato recipe from this site, but my mom beat me to it and made mashed potatoes how she always makes them, basic and simple. Went very well with what we served it with, "Slow Cooker Cassoulet" from this site. I like basic mashed potatoes, reminds me of my child hood!
I use this recipe alot and sometimes mix it up by adding a little crushed garlic. I also like to use chicken broth or a bouillon cube when boiling the potatoes. It adds a little extra flavor and my 8 yr. old LOVES them.
Regular mashed patatoes. I added curd cheese to make it a GREAT mashed patatoes!
I almost thought it was going to be too much milk but it whipped in perfectly. I had to double the butter though, I love my butter!
Basic isn't the word for these mashed potatoes, they were perfect! Thank you!
Yummy....basic...and great with meatloaf. I put the potatoes through my ricer for a more smooth texture. Thanks!
A very basic and traditional not to mention easy recipe that is loved and enjoyed every time! Always use this recipe
I already know how to make mashed potatoes, and it doesn't really need a recipe to make them. I have always made my potatoes with milk even skim milk, and they taste wonderful. You don't even have to heat the milk and butter. Just put them right in with the potatoes after they are drained, and they will warm up because of all of the heat from the potatoes. This will save you a step, and some clean up. If you are looking for a richer mashed potatoe, try using canned milk(undiluted) and a few tablespoons cream cheese.
My husband loved this recipe! I didn't tweak the recipe at all. Thanks for sharing!
This is absolutely delicious! My husband didn't even use salt and pepper! That's when you know it's good
Could not be easier or more tasty!
WONDERFUL! i like adding a clove of garlic, and using cold milk and butter to keep them from getting sweetened by heating in a pan. try it next time.
I love this easy, simple recipe. I have always put in 2-3 bay leaves in while cooking the potatoes. My husband says they are the best Mashed Potatoes ever!
Great basic recipe! Add two chicken bouillon cubes to the water as they boil and use a package of cream cheese when you mix! Incredible!
If the potatoes are cooked with the peeling on, they are easy to peel and mash, have greater nutritional value, and have a delicious flavor.
Easy, quick, simple with that "homestyle" taste. Heating the milk and butter first is a must. I do often times use a little more butter to taste. This is the first recipe I followed when learning how to make mashed potatoes and no matter how I change them up now, I always use this method as a base.
Great recipe for mashed potatoes. Nothing fancy about them but the flavor is amazing. They remind me of my grandmothers cooking. Thanks Esmee!!!!
I have referred to this recipe for years, but never followed it exactly. I like to boil 1-2 cloves of garlic per pound of potatoes. Mash the potatoes with the garlic using a potato masher. Add the melted butter and milk slowly so you don't end up with soupy potatoes. I use 2x the butter and half the milk from this recipe. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once you have the flavor you like, use an electric beater until you get the consistency you like.
very easy.......very good recipe for your basic mashed potatoes.......
This is definitely easy to make, but seems to be missing something. Maybe more butter and salt.
Not enough butter, too much milk. It is a good thing I poured things in slowly and realized that the consistency was fine after just over half the amount of milk.
Good flavor. I used an extra T butter after I made them as I thought it needed it. I only used 3/4 milk that's all they needed. I didn't heat the water before adding potatoes, I just put the potatoes in the pan and added water to cover.
Like another reviewer suggested, I added 1/2 pack of cream cheese once the potatoes had cooked. This was delicious and so easy!
We absolutely loved this ... I took the advice of the other reviewers and ensured I warmed up the milk and butter. To this mixture, I added about 3 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese as well. I first mashed the boiled potatoes with a fork, and then added the milk into the mashed potatoes in 3 parts. After every addition of milk into the potato, I used my hand mixer to blended the milk mix and the potatoes. Absolutely YUM! Thank you for sharing this recipe :D
Really good.. really basic. I omitted the milk and added more melted butter instead. Didnt peel off the skin coz dont wanna waste the nutrition. The dish was complimented with Easy BBQ Bake Chic and Old Fashioned Brown Gravy from this site. My mom liked it, so does my family so Im givin' it 5*. Check out pic.
This recipe is really good, especially if you just want good ol'mashed potatoes.
Very Good Recipe. I've made it 2x. As Syble suggested.. it's important to allow the potatoes to steam after they cook and before you mash them. I let them sit in the colander until they stopped letting off steam. Then the potatoes will readily absorb the milk. The second time I made them I boiled them in vegetable broth, and also added 1/4 cup cream cheese. Did think it improved the flavor in a very subtle way. Everyone one loved the recipe both times that I served it. Enjoy!
Well the potatoes weren't soft within the fifteen minutes. I had to look up a recipe that could actually help me!!
This was good even though I forgot to add the salt and pepper. At first, it seemed like way too much milk but it got thicker after whisking. I used russet potatoes which mashed up nice and easy.
This is a great basic recipe! You can add herbs or spices for taste enhancement.
I liked the idea of warming the milk and butter so I thought that I would give this recipe a try. Glad that I did, that potatoes were really creamy and this recipe opens the door to add any of your favorite flavorings. Next, I'll try to add some garlic.
I've made this recipe many times, but I'm finally getting around to rating it. It's really great! Your everyday mashed potatoes; it goes well with almost anything! It goes well just by itself, but I usually serve it with some dish that has some sort of gravy to it. When I'm being healthy conscience, I'll omit the butter and it's fine as it. I never add the black pepper either, it's not needed.
Superb! Added 4 ozs of cream cheese; garlic powder; and less than 1/2 cup of milk. Served these with a pot roast I made and it was a huge hit. This will definitely be my new standard mashed potato recipe.
very easy recipe for beginner cookers..I must add that.. depending on the type of potatoes you need to add less milk.Also the evaporated "can" is so good in mashed potatoes you don't need butter.
It could use more butter but this is great as a reference to remember how to make mashed potatoes.
It was one of my first times in the kitchen, and this recipe was simple and easy to follow! I boiled the potatoes for an extra long time, and they turned out so soft that I didn't need a potato masher. A wooden spoon was all I used! 10/10 would make it again!
I don't eat mashed potatos, but I made these for a dinner party with my boyfriend's family (yikes!) and they LOVED them!!!
Super potatoes. Very, Very easy to make. I followed the recipe exactly and they turned out perfect. Everyone here raved about them. Thanks for the recipe and finishing a great dinner.
Very good and creamy. I live in South America, and haven't had really good mashed potatoes until I tried this recipe. Thanks!
I was amazed at how tasty mashed potatoes can be without cream. I used 2% milk with a little extra margerine/butter and they turn out wonderful. My husband, who is rather picky about his potatoes, really enjoyed them. I used red potatoes and left some of the skin on, too, for color and nutritional value. Great potatoes!
I doubled the recipe and it worked out great! Left the skins on and left them pretty chunky due to the lack of a potato masher in my kitchen.
I never use milk in my mashed potatoes, but use condensed milk instead. I usually use the Great Value kind at Wal-Mart and I have perfect mashed potatoes every time!
Not a bad recipe, add 1 teaspoon of baking soda at the end and see how fluffy it becomes
So easy and tasty! Definitely better than the microwaveable mashed potatoes. Couldn’t ask for a better side!
One of the few times where the food actually turns out perfect. And I suck at cooking lol, so the fact that these were on point really surprised me. 5 stars
I was looking for a simple, basic recipe that I could use as a base to develop my own recipe...this recipe worked well for that, but not for serving up great potatoes.
